While You Were Sleeping
by Aurora11
Summary: Brady/Chloe/Phillip fan fiction based on the movie 'While You Were Sleeping' with Brady and Chloe being Jack and Eleanor.
1. Chapter 1

I disclaim everything. This fan fiction is loosely based on characters from Days of our Lives and on the movie 'While You Were Sleeping'. I watched the movie last night and it gave me inspiration for a new broe fic so I had to write it. Hope you like :)  
  
While You Were Sleeping  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The subways rattled noisily by as I sat there in that same old ticket booth, selling my tickets to day-to-day customers. A man stopped in front of my booth and dropped a few coins noisily into the metal pan that sat at the tip of my table, half on the outside where people would drop their money and half behind a protective layer of plastic where I spent my days. I even worked holidays, not really having much of a life.  
  
I lived by myself in an apartment building. The owner's son was after me constantly. He's a nice man, but really not my speed. I prefer to save any emotions for someone I know I'll be spending the rest of my life with. He's a short, rather chubby guy named Jason Junior. Nonetheless, he's good company, whether he knows it or not. He says I'm the best looking chick in the building, but I honestly think I'm rather plain. I work a job at minimum wage, my dad died last year and I never really knew my mother. All I have is a cat. It's an ugly cat too, one ear torn off and patches of bare skin. I think the only reason I took it in was because I felt sorry for it, out in the world alone, just like me.  
  
When I was younger, I remember my dad would always tell me that life didn't turn out the way you'd want it to. I didn't know at the time that he was talking about my life. Despite this, I still thrived on every moment we spent together. He would tell me dozens of stories as we walked through the woods by our house. The stories I liked most were those I dragged out of him whenever we walked by the cathedral where my parents were married. He'd be forced to tell me every detail of his wedding day to me again and again and again.  
  
Anyways, now I'm twenty years old and I don't have a father who tells me stories anymore. Sad, sort of. I didn't have time to go to college after I finished high school. I was too busy worrying about my dad's health and finding ways to make money. I eventually landed a job at the subway station, where I've been ever since, selling tickets to people who just get a thrill out of riding a train.  
  
I silently gathered the coins from the little metal pan and pushed a ticket back through it, offering only a brief smile to my customer as I pushed my hat farther down over my head. I had purposely cut the tips of my gloves of so I could handle the tickets and money more easily. I wouldn't have been wearing them at all if this had been a nice, climatized place to work. Unfortuneatly, we were practically outside and in the middle of winter, it didn't feel too nice having to sit out in the cold.  
  
My shift ended at five that day. The passengers dilly-dallied by that day, occassionally stopping at my booth either to buy tickets or ask for directions. I hadn't seen him today, my dream guy. Tall and blonde and sophisticated. He stopped by my booth everyday to ask for a ticket. He only came to my booth, doesn't that tell you anything? Obviously he preferred me to everyone else. Everyday I would mumble to myself what I wanted to say to him, maybe even ask for his name. Everytime he came near me all I could muster was 'have a nice day'. Then he would give me this sparkling smile and walk away.  
  
Around a quarter to four, I saw him approching me. Hair combed neatly back, greenish eyes smiling. He stopped infront of me as always and dropped the same coins into my pan. I looked at him then down at the coins and gulped. I lifted them gingerly and handed him a ticket. He flashed me a smile and ran off to catch his train. I smacked my head against the plastic screen that held me back from the rest of the world. Somehow I had been able to get tongue-tied again.  
  
I left my work at around a quarter after five that day, staying to help my co-worker Greta gather he stuff. She was expecting. I couldn't believe she'd still be working out there in the cold when she was seven months pregnant. I mean, it's not like I knew anything about everything, but wasn't that just common sense? I walked her out to her cab and bid her farewell.  
  
As for myself, I started slowly down the street to Central Park, the heart of New York city. There was a hotdog booth there that I visited almost every day for dinner. Don't ask me why, I just have a thing for their frankfurters.  
  
The streets were covered with snow and the cold wind was nipping steadily at my face. I pulled my scarf up around my cheeks and pushed on through the wind. Luckily I had found alternate paths to avoid the icy spots in the road. As I approached that quaint little hot dog stand, the owner waved to me, offering me a warm greeting.  
  
"Hiya, Chloe! What'll it be today? The usual?" The tall man called out to me. His name was Jack Deveraux. He told me he was once a famous news reporter but I think that's a little hard to believe. Hard news to hotdogs just didn't seem like a plausible transfer.  
  
I smiled and nodded my head, stopped underneath the pointless umbrella ballooning over the stand. I watched Jack working swifly with the thongs, flipping the little pink peice of scrapped meat over on the grill. He popped it into a toasted bun and loaded on the works. The unsual for me. It was a wonder I didn't look like Jason Jr. with all this grease I was eating. Then again, I guess I was my father's daughter. High metabolism, flat chest...  
  
I took the frankfurter from Jack's outstretched arms and gave him two dollars in excahnge. He dropped the shining coins into a pocket of his pants and leaned onto the counter of his stand.  
  
"Well then, Miss Lane, how was work today?" He asked in a rather cheery tone. I shrugged my shoulders. "A bother, as always." I answered bluntly, taking a bite of my well-earned hotdog. Really, my job was as big a bother as you could get. Not to mention boring and pointless. Couldn't people just buy their tickets from an ATM or something? Of course if such a thing did happen I would be out of work, but it would at least give me an excuse to search for a better job.  
  
"Are you thinking of leaving the old mine? I hear that they're hiring for a new hamburger stand just down the street." Jack offered.  
  
"I don't think so, Jack." I replied, chewing thoughtfully on a peice of bread and swallowing. "I don't see too much excitement in flipping burgers."  
  
"But you see it in gathering coins and tearing tickets?" Jack said, rubbing his hands together in an attempt to keep them free of frost-bite. I raised my eyebrow. "Point taken."  
  
"Somehow I knew you'd see things my way."  
  
"Yeah, just don't let it get to your head." I reached for a napkin and wiped a dab of ketchup from my chin.  
  
My eyes wandered aimlessly around the crowded park. A light snow began as I finished off my meal and thanked Jack. As I started to walk off towards my appartment building, I heard someone calling after me. I turned around to see Abe Carver, the boss of the sub-division of subway management that I worked in. I stopped and waited pateintly until he stopped in front of me, panting.  
  
"Glad I caught you! Have I got news for you Chloe! You get a chance to work on Christmas Day!" Abe cried happily, throwing his arm around my shoulder as I prepared to take off.  
  
"Nice try. There is no way I am working anymore holidays."  
  
"Why not Lane? Please? You work holiday after holiday even if you've worked previous holidays. You've been nominated for employee of the month!"  
  
"We have an employee of the month?" I asked, giving him a curious look. "I didn't even know we had emplyees of the month. They nominated me?" I stopped inching towards the sidewalk and smiled slightly, a little overjoyed that I'd been nominated. "Wow. I've never won anything in my life."  
  
"Well there you go. All the more reason for you to spend Christmas with your ol' Subway buddies." Abe said, looking somewhat relieved that I'd accepted his offer. Not that I had, but he seemed to think so. Nevertheless, I went along with it. It's not like a really had anything to celebrate on Christmas. I had no family, and I was pretty much a loner. I sighed and gave into his offer.  
  
Abe gave me a pat on the back and walked off, grinning happily. There was probably something in it for him, I thought, digging my hands into my pockets and starting off towards 191 Catella dr. where my home was calling out to me.  
  
I stepped through the foggy glass doors into the lobby. Or, however much of a lobby it was. It was basically a stairwell. I trudged up the stairs to my apartment, the first door to the right on the third floor. I jammed my key into the lock and turned it slowly, allowing myself into the slightly messy haven that was my home. I threw my coat to the side and slunk down into a chair in the kitchen, debating whether or not I should take a trip to the cupboard to take out some oreos.  
  
The clock in the living room tolled six times, marking the arrival of six o'clock. I sighed and stood up, grabbing the bag of oreos and plopping down onto the couch in front of the TV. I turned to channel 3 where 'Friends' was just beginning. I opened the bag of oreos and pulled a couple out, twisting them apart. It licked off the cream and tossed the chocolate cookies into the trash bin at my side.  
  
I heard a persistent knocking at my door half-way through the bag of cookies. I stood up slowly and hobbled over to the door. I turned the knob and opened the door to reveal Jason Jr. standing on my welcome mat with a cigarette between his fingers.  
  
"Sup, Chloe. Look what I got, two tickets to the Ice Capades on Christmas Day. Are you up to it? It's uh, like a date huh?"  
  
I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Jason was a nice guy and all, but he again he just wasn't my type. He had to be at least three inches shorter than me. He left the top of his shirt unbuttoned to reveal a few chest hairs and he was balding.  
  
"Actually Jase, I'm sort of busy that day. Can you take a rain check?"  
  
"No way! This is a date, honey. It's Christmas too! What plans could you possibly have?"  
  
I stopped for a moment, pondering this. All I was doing that day was working. Working like I did five days a week, sometimes six or seven days. I realized that I really didn't have a life. I don't know what possessed me to do it, but I felt myself nodding. He smiled and winked at me.  
  
"Ok, sweet cheeks! Don't forget huh?"  
  
I nodded. He turned and walked off down the flight of stairs. I shook my head and closed the door, returning to the couch. Yup, some life I had. Ice Capades, wow. For some reason I wasn't excited. I really had no life, after all.  
  
Friends was a re-run of course, go figure. I flicked the TV off and sauntered to my bedroom, calling it an early night. Nothing exciting was taking place, and nothing would. I closed my door and flopped down onto my bed.  
  
By the way, my name is Chloe Lane. 


	2. Chapter 2

While You Were Sleeping  
  
Chapter 2  
  
I dragged myslef out of bed on Christmas morning, rubbing my eyes. I sauntered over to the window and pulled back the curtain, looking out into the snowy-white world. What a wonderful white Christmas? I almost laughed at that one. There was not Christmas at my house. There was a pretty beaten- up plastic Christmas tree sitting in the living room. It was bent over from the weight of the star at it's summit, offering me minimal cheer and reason to give thanks to the lord. I made my way to the shower, scratching my head on the way there as I pondered which outfit I should wear. My blue sweater and black jeans, my black sweater and blue jeans or my black sweater and black jeans?  
  
I decided finally on my blue sweater and black jeans as I tore from the bathroom with my towel wrapped about me, frantically trying to dry my hair. My hair dryer was broken due to an accident in the sink. It wouldn't have so bad if the accident had not been three months ago. My waist-long hair hung in tangles. I sighed and ran a brush through it, pulling it all back into a braid and finally twisting that up into a bun and tucking it beneath my hat.  
  
I threw on my coat after I was dressed, grabbing an apple from the table and jumping into my boots. I walked out into the hallway, locking the door to my apartment. I could hear Jason on some higher floor pestering the ladies. I rolled my eyes and slunk quietly down the stairs, trying in everyway to avoid having to talk to the man.  
  
I pulled my tipless gloves on as I stepped out into the cold world once again. I stood on the corner of the street, waiting patiently for the same cab to drive up and stop before me. It wasn't so bad not owning a car, I wouldn't have to clean the frost from my windows or the ice from my wind shield wipers. The schedualed car rounded the bend in the road just on time and I hopped into the car, closing the door hastily.  
  
The tip of my nose had already gone red. I sighed and rubbed it for a few second with my fingertips before turning towards the cab driver. His name was Shawn Douglas. I remember having gone to school with him, he was in the same grade as me. He wasn't too bad to look at either so I didn't really mind the twenty minute drive to the subway station.  
  
The snow blew about the small yellow taxi. I felt like I was being ambushed. Shawn seemed to be enjoying the weather. I could see that his ears and nose were as red as mine were, but I guess he really didn't mind having to cope with New York seasons. After all, he had other things to tend to, like a family.  
  
It seemed like mere moments had gone by as we pulled up by the subway station. I left Shawn his required amount of cash and stalked off to work. Christmas, work, Christmas, work...didn't mix for me. I sat down in my booth, shaking my head when I saw Greta sitting with a mug of hot chocolate in the booth next to me.  
  
I knocked a few times on the sheet of glass seperating us with my gloved hand. She looked up from her mug of steaming beverage and smiled at me. Of course, I didn't know what she was so happy about but she definitely wasn't spreading me and Christmas cheer.  
  
"Beautiful day, isn't it?" She yelled from her seat. I raised an eyebrow at her and mouthed the words "Are you crazy?" back at her. She shrugged and smiled again. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I drummed my fingers repeatedly on the small surface I had for a table, waiting for any crazed customers that might show up on Christmas to but a train ticket.  
  
I could see a small family walking by with gift baskets and bags of luggage. A mom and her three children. I sighed and watched them disappear into a subway, the children's cheeks all flushed a rosy color. I guessed that my dream guy wouldn't be around to buy a ticket from me that day so I leaned back lazily in my chair and started counting how many snowflakes hit the ground.  
  
Later, Greta came over into my booth and sat down with a thermos-full of her hot chocolate. She poured some into my mug and set it down on the counter. "Here, drink some of this. It'll help keep you warm." She said, holding the mug out towards me. I took it in my hands and sipped it slowly.  
  
"Thanks...say, what are you doing here, Greta? This is no place for a pregnant woman." "Pish posh." Greta replied, shrugging her shoulders. "I'll do what I please right up until the day this little monster comes out." She finished, patting her stomach. "Besides, I need the money." "Doesn't Collin work enough for you? I thought he was a doctor." "SO? It's not like he gives me an allowance. I like to do things on my own even if the rest of the world is against me alright? That's what I get for moving here from Europe, a bunch of lazy poops who want me to stay home all day on the couch, being careful not to hurt my baby."  
  
"Well, you are supposed to be careful during a pregnancy, you know. I don't think this cold will do it much good." "Sure it will!" Greta sniffed defensively. "He'll be used to the brisk weather and thrive in it." "So it's a he?" "Yes...I told you that already, remember?" "You did? Oh..." I figured I must have been watching my dream guy run his fingers through his hair as he strutted off to take his train to work. Greta nodded at me them picked up her thermos, swirling the warm liquid. Then she capped it off and left my booth, returning once again to her own.  
  
Business wasn't exactly booming, but there was the odd customer every now and then. Though I didn't think it was necessary for Greta to be working at the subway on Christmas when her husband was a doctor, I had to admire her perseverence, even if it was for a pointless cause. I would definitely not match quips with my own of course, me having to live all alone and be slave- driven daily. Then again, there was always employee of the month to look forward to. I pushed my hair out of my eyes and sat in a poised position, attempting to look somewhat presentable.  
  
That is when I saw him, my to-be husband strutting towards me with a briefcase in his hand. As always, he was coming straight toward me. I cleared my throat and mumbled what I might say to him this time. He stopped in front of me and dropped the coins into my pan. I hastily handed him a ticket and he walked off, not allowing one moment of friendy talk. As he made his way to the boarding platform, the words I was meaning to say came rushing back to me.  
  
"I love you", "Marry me", "You are so handsome", basically the whole works. Unfortunately, even on Christmas, I coudln't say two words to him. I sighed and watched him stand patiently on the platform. From behind him, I saw two men approaching. They were both wearing black coats and black hats and well, they were just black all together. Basically, they looked like they were up to no good.  
  
The trouble started when they circled my dream guy, heck I didn't even know his name. Once guy tore the briefcase from his hands as he tried unsuccessfully to get it back. My jaw dropped and I felt numb, as if I were the one being mugged. The other man pushed him onto the subway tracks before running off after his buddy, suitcase held high in his hands.  
  
I gasped and ran out of my booth, stealing a glance at Greta who was too engulfed in a Harry Potter book to notice what had happened. I could see her lips moving. I figured she was reading aloud to her baby. Anyway, I raced towards the man of my dreams, strewn in an akward postion on the train tracks. I hopped down from the boarding platform and raced over to him. His eyes were closed and he had a pretty bad scratch on the side of his head.  
  
I turned him over and tapped his cheek. "Hello, um, mister? Are you ok?" I shook his shoulders but he was not moving. And then, that was when I heard it. The high pitched whistle of the subway. My eyes widened and I started panicking. "Mister! Wake up the train is coming!" I shook him harder. I looked up at the train. "It's really, really fast!" I could see the conductor's face in the window of the train. He spotted us and slammed onto the brakes. The train started screeching but I'd been working in the subway long enough to know that it wouldn't stop before it reached us. I pulled the guy from his shoulders and rolled him off the tracks just as the train whizzed by. It screetched to a halt at least a hundred metres from where we had been standing. I looked at the tracks, where we could have been pulverised by the speed of the train, then down to the man whose life I'd just saved. I felt as if I were going to faint.  
  
Greta came running out of her booth, flailing the Harry Potter book in the air. "Chloe! Chloe! Oh my goodness are you alright? You just saved that man's life!" I looked up at Greta. "I don't know, he looks sort of...dormant. Quickly, call an ambulance! I think he's had a concussion." Greta nodded and hobbled back to the booth where she called for the paramedics. I looked down at my dream guy and brushed the hair off his forehead. "It's okay now...you're safe."  
  
The ambulance came quickly, lifting him onto a stretcher and rushing him off to the hospital. I immediately called for a cab and followed them to the hospital, running into the lemony-fresh building. 


	3. Chapter 3

While You Were Sleeping  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The hospital seemed somewhat inviting, or at least as inviting as a hospital could get. Greta stayed behind at the station to man both our stands. I was a little disappointed with myself over the fact that I'd left a very pregnant woman alone at the subway, but again perhaps the man of my dreams would compensate me for saving his life. I didn't even know who he was but heck, what's in a name right? Don' be too impressed with my Shakespearean knowledge…that phrase is on my bumper sticker.  
  
Well, I hadn't been in that hospital for a year. Needless to say, as I lingered into it's spotless depths I felt myself drowning in a flow of memories from my previous visits, the most recent being the death of my father. I stopped by the receptionist's desk, pulling my gloves off my frozen hands. I looked around for any indication of where they might have gone with the man whom I'd saved. My eyes stopped on the sign above a pair of swinging doors. It read "Emergency Ward". I knew that was probably my best bet.  
  
I walked slowly to the doors. On either side was a wall, but one made of glass, allowing me to see what was going on inside a long corridor where nurses and doctors were rushing around with oxygen masks and plastic syringes. I pulled my hat off the daily bun that sat in the center of the back of my head, all braided and semi-perfect. A few pieces of hair rose with static and fell in front of my eyes. I hastily tucked them behind my ears and pressed my nose up against the glass of one of the walls.  
  
The hall was lined with doors, once I guessed led into several operating rooms. There was no sight of anything worth my while. That's when I realised that perhaps it would be days until I saw him again. How I wished, in that moment, for Greta's Harry Potter books. They may have been about a wizard boy who flew around on a mop, but at least that wizard boy actually had a life I could read about, unlike myself. Then again, Greta was probably still educating her baby in the ways of witchcraft and wizardry and whatever else was written in those books. That thought flew away rather quickly.  
  
And that was when I spotted him, not in his spotless glory but rather in his tattered yet still handsome form, being carried on a stretcher with a bandage on the side of his head and his eyes closed. The man of my dreams lived! Or at least I hoped he lived. I knocked loudly on the glass as the doctors walked by with my man. A nurse stopped beside me to look in on the patients. I quickly took note of her, short and red-headed and slightly plump. My attention was returned quickly to the doctors as they stopped before me.  
  
"Are you family?" They asked. I shook my head slowly. "No, but I sav—"  
  
"You're not family?" They persisted.  
  
"No, but listen, you have to let me in to see him! I sa—"  
  
"Sorry, only family allowed." With that they continued off down the hallway.  
  
"But you don't understand…" I mouthed after them. "I'm going to marry him!"  
  
The little nurse moved off after I started talking to myself. I probably scared her away. Of course that didn't really matter to me at the moment considering the fact that they wouldn't let me in to see this guy. I sighed and left the hospital, returning to the subway to help Greta finish up our Christmas duties. I decided that I would try to get in to see him again later.  
  
I went home after work and changed into my black pants and pale purple top, leaving my hair down in two braids. I made my way back to the hospital and wandered through the halls. My task was not whether I could see him or not, but if I could actually find him.  
  
I figured he might be anywhere from ICU to maternity…or something in between. Basically it was a hopeless case. Well, luck must have shone upon me that day because that same little nurse whom I'd scared off before due to my babbling came and greeted me.  
  
"Well, hello dear!" She said happily. "I suspect you're here to see Mr. Black?" So he was Mr. Kiriakis huh? I nodded my head slowly, not believing how lucky I had been. She smiled and led me off to the third floor and to room number 314 where Mr. Black lay asleep in his hospital bed. The doctors inside the room looked at me in shock.  
  
"Family only!" They said in unison. I cowered at the stern tone of voice.  
  
"Pish posh! You're scaring the girl! This is his fiance." My eyes widened along with the doctors.  
  
"OH, oh, the to-be Mrs. Black? Oh, all right. Please excuse us, miss." They walked out of the room.  
  
"No, I don't think you unders—"  
  
"I understand perfectly, dear. You'll want some time alone I'll bet." She grinned and closed the door of the hospital room, leaving me alone with Mr. Black. I was shocked, you could say that. I sat down slowly beside the bed, looking around the room and glancing outside into the hall through the glass walls, much the same as the walls in that corridor I had been standing by previously.  
  
I looked at the man lying there peacefully, a part of his perfect forehead scratched. I bit my lip and took his hand in mine. I tried to will him to wake up. Actually, it may have worked if it hadn't been for the sudden flurry of noise I heard burst out behind me. I jumped up and backed away from the bed.  
  
Through the door of the room came five people. Two old people, two just over middle-aged people and one very young person. They all pushed past me and crowded around the bed, all talking in loud bursts, words tumbling over each others'. I continued to back away from the bed until I was in the corner of the opposite wall from the bed. I was surprised that they had not noticed me. I listened to their shouting.  
  
"What the hell's happened to the boy?"  
  
"Daddy, why is his hair so long?"  
  
"Quiet, Belle! Your brother's hair is his business."  
  
"Don't talk to the girl that way!"  
  
"Silence! Are his eye flickering?"  
  
"No, I think it's your nerves again grandma…"  
  
"John this doesn't look too good."  
  
"Quiet Marlena! You'll give Alice a heart attack!"  
  
"What's this? I don't get heart attacks!"  
  
"You lot are a laugh. Your son is MIA and you don't seem to mind."  
  
The young blonde girl turned around and looked at me for the first time. "Hey, who is she?" She said, pointing at me. The rest of the family stopped talking and turned their eyes on me.  
  
"Speak up girl!" The old woman said, looking at me sternly. I gulped.  
  
"Well, actually, I'm…"  
  
"Oh, there you are dear!" I turned towards the door where the little nurse came bustling in. "I was coming in to say that the family was coming but I guess I'm too late."  
  
"Who are you?" The girl persisted. The nurse gave a jolly chuckle.  
  
"Why this is Mr. Black's fiance of course!" She answered for me. I could have died. The fmaily all turned towards each other.  
  
"Phillip is engaged?"  
  
"Since when?"  
  
"How am I supposed to know! We haven't seen the man for months!"  
  
"You're right, you're right…anything could have happened…is this that putrid Cynthia woman he met at the bar?"  
  
"I don't know. I would think it was…I mean that's usually the type of girl he goes after."  
  
I shifted my weight from foot to foot.  
  
"No, no! This is no woman from a bar!" The nurse said. "I was just speaking to a woman outside in the lobby reading some Harry Potter books. She says that this woman saved Phillip from being run over by a subway!"  
  
The family went silent. It was a rather uncomfortable silence for me to have to sit through. Greta was out in the lobby, no doubt. I gulped again.  
  
"You, you saved his life?"  
  
"You save our son?"  
  
"You saved my brother!"  
  
There was silence again. Then I saw a smile start on the younger man's face. "Well, then! Welcome to the family!" He cried. Everyone in the family smiled happily and they all pushed their way over to me to offer me hugs. The little girl wrapped an arm around my waist. She was a good deal shorter than me.  
  
"Hi!" She said. "What's your name?"  
  
I looked up to the rest of the family listening for an answer to that question.  
  
"Chloe…" I said slowly. "Chloe Lane."  
  
What I perceived as the mother of the girl sighed in relief. "Thank goodness for people like you, Chloe! I thought for sure he'd be forever hooked on Cynthia!"  
  
I shrugged my shoulders and did my best to smile as they immediately bombarded me with questions.  
  
I found out that this was Phillip Black, son of Marlena and John Black. The little blonde girl was actually a fifteen year old, Belle, the younger sister of Phillip Black. The older woman was Alice, Marlena's mother, and the older man was Mickey, but he wasn't an actual part of the family, as he later told me in private. He was actually taken in by the kindly Black family.  
  
"Tell me how you met, please?" Belle begged, tugging at my jacket.  
  
"Oh, um, alright…" I said slowly. All the other members of the Black family looked at me expectantly. "Well uh, you see…I saw him at, uh, at the subway station and he just gave me this smile…" The grandmother sighed. "And then I, I, I knew that this was forever, you know?"  
  
"How romantic." Belle sighed.  
  
"Sheesh, yeah, I know…" I agreed, completely shocked that they had bought it all. After telling the story, I excused myself and left the room to find the little nurse.  
  
"Lady! Excuse me!" I called as soon as I'd spotted her. "Why did you just tell those people that I was that man's fiance?"  
  
"Well because you are. When I saw you earlier, you said you were going to marry him."  
  
"Well, damn! I was thinking out loud…"  
  
The nurse bit her lip. "You really shouldn't do that…"  
  
"What am I going to do?"  
  
"I suggest you don't tell them." The nurse said. "They're buying it all and you do want to marry the guy, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah, but…"  
  
"No buts, honey. These are the Blacks we're talking about here. You know, 'Basic Black'?"  
  
I gasped. "THOSE Blacks?"  
  
The nurse nodded. My jaw dropped. I was getting into deep water with a very rich and powerful family! I was such a born loser! I said my prayers silently then and there, then walked slowly back to the hospital room where all the Blacks were waiting for me.  
  
As soon as I was in the room, Belle started talking to me again.  
  
"Say Chloe, come have Christmas dinner with us tonight at eight. It'll be fun, especially since you're almost family."  
  
"I dunno…" I said hesitantly.  
  
"What a fabulous idea!" Marlena interrupted.  
  
"Oh yes! Truly! Then you can meet Brady, too."  
  
"Brady?" I prodded.  
  
"Yes, our other son." John said, smiling.  
  
I nodded slowly, though I did not know whether going to this Black Christmas dinner was such a good idea. Why? Alas, it was a gradually enlarging web of lies I wove. 


	4. Chapter 4

While You Were Sleeping  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Later that night, around six, I sat alone in the hospital room of Phillip Black, resident rich guy in whose life I was now very deeply entwined. You know the saying 'you can't get too much of a good thing?' Whoever said that obviously didn't know what it felt like to get too much of a good thing. As a matter of fact, that person was a liar because you really can get too much of a good thing and that is exactly what was happening to me. Of course, I didn't exactly know if this dream guy, someone I'd been chasing after, well at least longing after for months now in the most vulnerable position before was a good thing after all. See, maybe if he'd been awake I could have made better use of the scenario of the two of us alone in a dark room together with one bed, well you get the picture. Unfortunately he was in a coma and I was due to meet the rest of his family at his house in two hours.  
  
I decided I'd best spend my time debating whether or not it would be wise of me to go over to the Black household. For some reason, I figured that I might, in a subtle way, be declaring my own funeral. After all, what were to become of me when Phillip awoke and his family told him his fiancé was there to see him? He would tell them I was a fake, a fraud…then they'd probably throw me in jail with some of Greta's imaginary friends from her Harry-happy phase. I could have sworn she was having a mid-life crisis when she was only halfway there.  
  
Then again, whether or not that worked out, I was still falling in love with his family. How I wished I could have a family to go home to, and this bustling crowd was just the type of cheery household I needed. I took one of Phillip's hands and sandwiched it between my own, letting out a sigh of exasperation. It was hard to make life-altering decisions when your life had been un-altered for a long time. I was still just becoming accustomed to the feeling of being on my own. Now, I was amidst a warm family, or at least they looked warm. They were kind to me, too. It was like I was the daughter and Phillip was a forgotten boatload lying on the hospital bed watching us converse.  
  
The Blacks were probably home, preparing a glorious family Christmas dinner. I let go of Phillip's hand and stood up slowly, scratching my head. I started pacing beside the bed. I would be taking a big risk if I chose to go to that dinner and continue to associate with the Blacks. But, what if he awoke and fell in love with me? Like a love at first sight sort of deal? It wasn't too far-fetched. If that happened, then I would be living happily ever after with the man of my dreams. Basically it was a win or lose situation.  
  
I didn't notice the fact that my inner thoughts began to shove their way out of my mouth as I started talking aloud to myself, planning what it was that I could do or would do or what in the world it was that was going on.  
  
"You know…" I said, placing my hand on Phillip's limp arm. "You probably don't know what it feels like to be in love since you're in a near death state. Now, I don't even know how this happened but I fell in love with you at the subway. See, y-you come to my ticket booth every day and I sell you a ticket for the subway. And then, then I saved your life after these guys pushed you onto the subway tracks and my friend called an ambulance and they patched you up and your family thinks were engaged."  
  
Phillip's lifeless form didn't move. I huffed.  
  
"Yeah, well it's not my fault. You don't even know who I am! And who is this Cynthia girl? Are you engaged to her because oh what a mess that would be!" I looked down at my hands, examining my ring fingers. "Look, I don't even have an engagement ring. Not that anyone has noticed…" I paused.  
  
"Then look, I can wear a ring for you on my right hand and a ring for me on my left hand. It would make perfect sense since I don't normally wear any jewelry at all."  
  
Whatever crazy woman moment I was having passed and I snuck quietly from the room, leaving Phillip alone for his first night in the hospital. Not that he knew…the man was in a coma. As I stepped out into the hallway, I bumped into Mickey. I stopped and looked up into his blue smiling eyes.  
  
"Hello!" I said, surprised to see him, but pleasantly surprised.  
  
"Good evening, dear…" He said slowly. I nodded in response.  
  
"Are you here to see Phillip?" I prodded.  
  
"No. But I saw you in there with him."  
  
"You did?"  
  
"Yes I did."  
  
I could feel the temperature in my veins drop a few degrees. "Um, did you hear what I was saying?" I said in a timid whisper. Mickey nodded his head.  
  
"Uh oh…" I managed.  
  
"Uh oh is right." Mickey answered.  
  
"Are you going to rat me out?"  
  
"No. Actually, I'm going to forget this ever happened. You're best bet is to play along with this."  
  
"You don't care that I'm fooling everyone into thinking I'm engaged to Phillip?"  
  
"It doesn't bother me in the least." Mickey said finally with a shrug of his shoulders. "Besides, it looked to me as though he has so much hair in front of his eyes that he couldn't tell who you were to begin with much less the rest of us. I'm sure we can convince him. It'll be no problem."  
  
Well then, there was a surprise. Seeing him obviously did not compare to that. Now this was another person who knew, that was two not including myself! That meant that three people would be able to blackmail me with the information that I wasn't Phillip's real fiancé (that is if I chose to blackmail myself…um, sure).  
  
Mickey stood quite proudly in his casual wear. I wish I knew what was going on under all that non-pigmented hair, but alas I was no mind reader. Actually, in that moment I made up my mind that I would tell the Blacks that I wasn't really engaged to their son. What a mass conflict would erupt from that! Then again, truth must be revealed and better early on then later. This way I could beat all my blackmailers to it, though I was only doing what they would have threatened to do. It was like jumping in front of a subway train. Wait…I'd done that before hadn't I?  
  
After a while of silence, as I stood rocking back and forth deep in thought, Mickey cleared his throat.  
  
"It's about time I left. I'll see you at the Blacks' or I won't. Nevertheless, goodbye for now Miss Lane." He tipped an imaginary hat in salute to me and disappeared into the elevator.  
  
An hour later, I sat at my kitchen table rifling through a trusty bag of oreos. I found a package from Greta on my welcome mat. Jason seemed to have already found it there because he left a note on top of that saying he missed me today at the Ice Capades. Not that I'd really wanted to go in the first place or anything, I felt bad for bailing on Jason.  
  
Seven o'clock and I was due at the Blacks' at eight. That gave me an hour to decide, not including the fact that I'd have to get dressed and catch a cab over there. My eyes scanned the cluttered kitchen. Bunches of old newspaper stood beside my kitchen sink. I stared at it for a long time. I really hadn't even noticed that it was there, but now that I did I realized what a slob I must be. And that made me think that people aren't supposed to spend their Christmas' in a pigpen. So then, I decided that I would go to the Black family Christmas dinner.  
  
I looked back at the clock. It read five minutes after seven. I realized a very valuable twelfth of my hour had been wasted. My jaw dropped and I was shocked and panicked, trying to figure out what to do first. That only took up another five minutes of my time.  
  
Well, needless to say, I was racing the clock. I had just enough time to grab a shower, curl my hair then it was off in a cab to Cuthbert Street where my rich to-be-in-laws lived. Of course, I inevitably bumped into Jason on my way out of the building and he persisted to press me for information on where I had been all day. I brushed him off and felt bad for it, but decided against re-entering the building to apologize.  
  
The cab ride was fairly quick, and I was surprised to find that the streets were relatively empty. I'd think everyone would be driving about to visit relatives, but then I realized that Christmas started a good twenty hours earlier, not to mention Christmas Eve the days before. The cab driver pulled up in front of a house in the middle of Cuthbert Street. Yes, my jaw dropped. I tapped my driver on the shoulder.  
  
"Are you sure this is the right address?" 


End file.
